Novavax COVID-19 Vaccine Effective, But Less So Against Variant In South Africa

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Nurse Vash Deelchand inoculated Kate Bingham, chair of the U.K. government’s vaccine task force, with a Novavax vaccine at the Royal Free Hospital in London in October.





Kirsty O’Connor — PA Images/PA Images via Getty Images



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Kirsty O’Connor — PA Images/PA Images via Getty Images



Short Wave
What The Spread Of Coronavirus Variants Means For The U.S.

A preliminary analysts suggested the variant strain first identified in South Africa appeared to be responsible for the majority of the COVID cases seen in the study.

After vaccination or previous infection, the immune system is able to make antibodies that recognize the coronavirus and then neutralize or destroy it. As the virus mutates, however, it can change how it looks to these antibodies and make it harder for them to lock on.

A combination of mutations in the variant first seen in South Africa changed the surface of the virus where antibodies seek to bind.

The Novavax study in South Africa found that a previous infection with the original form of the virus that causes COVID-19 may not completely protect people against becoming infected with the mutated version later on.